Christmas Decorations
by Sibylle1
Summary: Decorating for the holidays doesn't always go smoothly. A lighthearted story about Christmas preparations.


"I'm back from town, Pa, Hop Sing. The post office loaded me down like a mule with letters and parcels." Joe's voice was muffled since he was balancing a big pile of parcels by using his chin as a third hand. No one seemed to hear him. Probably he should have just waited for help, instead of trying to open the door by himself. Since he didn't have a fourth hand, after a short moment of hope the whole pile of odd-shaped packages trembled, wobbled, and crashed to the ground.

Just then the two men he'd summoned reached Joe, who stood in a heap of parcels staring down at one labeled in bold letters: "Handle with care! Fragile!"

"Joseph, what have you done? Why didn't you call us or make two trips?" Ben scolded his son.

"Maybe it's not broken, Pa. I just heard a faint jingle. Nothing loud."

But Ben only snorted, grabbed the parcel, and carried it inside to investigate. It seemed a solid wooden box decorated with painted snowflakes, Christmas trees, and other signs of the season; even the address and his name were surrounded with little angels. Ben smiled when he found the sender: "Lady Linda Chadwick." He remembered his summer with her before she went to England to marry Lord Chadwick. Earlier in the year, she had written to tell him she was now a widow, and he had invited her to visit Nevada in the spring. Ben cautiously shook the gift and indeed heard a soft tinkle.

"Joe," Ben shouted, his anger not yet cooled, "bring me a crowbar. I have to open this to see what damage you've done."

Once Ben removed the packing material he could see that the thing inside the crate had escaped harm. Ben pulled it out and scrutinized it: a turret made from glass with a lot of twisted sparkling glass strips hanging from the main spire in three tiers. It reminded him of a miniature chandelier, but he wasn't sure how it was meant to be used.

What a happy coincidence that just then Ben's oldest, far-travelled son came down the stairs. "Wow, what a fancy topper for a Christmas tree, Pa. Did you buy it?"

"No, it's a gift from Lady Chadwick. It came all the way from London." He shot his youngest an ominous glare. "We will it use this year. It's time we brought a little bit of feminine elegance into our men's household, especially for our party with the neighbors."

"But we already have_ …__"_ Little Joe's interjection was cut short by another glare from under an arched eyebrow.

So three days later Joe and Hoss cut down the biggest fir tree they ever had for Christmas to honor the new Christmas tree topper, and then all three sons cheerfully decorated the tree. Or were they so very cheerful after all?

"All done," Adam finally said, eyeing the tree askance. "Now we have to put that decoration on the top."

Hoss scratched the back of his head, "How?"

All three looked from the floor to the top of the tree high in the big room. "Maybe with the big ladder?" Joe asked.

But Adam and Hoss both shook their heads. "Never, we can't put it close to the tree, and it's too far to reach the top," Hoss said.

"We should lay the tree down, put the topper on it, and pick it back up." Adam said now. "We should have done it that way to begin with."

Hoss and Joe shook their heads slowly. "Oh no, that means taking off all the candles and decorations again!" Joe said. "It was so much work!"

"Could ya reach the tree top if ya stand on the banister, Joe?" Hoss asked, measuring his little brother and the tree.

"If you held me by the legs, maybe," Joe answered. Now Adam shook his head, but he also wasn't eager to do all the decorating over again.

"We can try," he said and the trio started.

Hoss was sure he couldn't secure Joe from behind, so after all he brought the ladder from the barn so he could stand in front of Joe. Because of the big tree Hoss couldn't climb up the ladder from the floor, so he carried it to the landing of the stairs, put it over the banister and slid it between the stairs and the tree. Now the ladder was very steep, so Adam wedged himself behind the tree to hold the ladder steady.

Now Hoss had to climb from the banister onto the ladder. "Joe, put the topper down so we won't break it, and take care that the ladder doesn't slip." Hoss was more agile than you would think and a few moments later he stood on the ladder, climbed three steps down, and raised his arms to support Joe's legs. Joe was now balanced on top of the banister, trying to grab the top of the tree with his right hand while he held the topper in his left.

"Only a little gap left," Joe cried and stretched his arms harder. "I can reach the tree with my fingertips. Give me some more space to lean forward."

Hoss adjusted his arms and Joe stretched farther and farther. "I got it!" he shouted. Now he had only to pull the tree top towards him a little and slide the topper onto the very tip. Joe stuck his tongue out to help balance himself.

In this moment Ben Cartwright came in from his last trip to the city before Christmas. Yes, and it was the perfect moment to see the grand finale.

"It's done," Joe cried out and tried to ease the bended tree top back in position but it flopped forward instead. The elaborate topper began to slip off, and Joe lunged for it with both of his hands. But there was still that little gap...

Ben saw his youngest like a swimmer or maybe more a diver leap from the banister into the Christmas tree. He could only see a piece of his middle son but it seemed he was perched on a ladder rather than flying through the air or sitting on the branches of the tree. And his oldest must have been hidden even deeper, because when the big tree first tilted and then fell with a shower of broken glass, that weighty voice was also heard in a trio of voices that weren't too sanctified in that moment.

After the big crash all was silent.

"Boys, are you hurt?"

"No, Pa, the tree cushioned my fall," Joe answered.

"No, Joe and Hoss didn't hit me," Adam responded.

"Nope, I'm fine," Hoss said.

"What in tarnation have you done? What were you thinking? Or were you NOT thinking?" Ben shouted-but when he saw his sons covered in Christmas decorations, contrite like little boys, he had to smile. "Boys, let's consider this the biggest Christmas mess we ever had." When he saw all three sons smile a big laugh came deep from his belly. And in within moments the big hall was filled with laughter: Joe's giggles, Hoss's guffaws, and Adam's snorts mingled with their father's laughter.

When Ben crossed the big room to help his sons, his gaze fell into the empty crate where they used to store their Christmas decorations. Only one thing was left there, a small angel made from blue fabric. Ben took it out.

"Inger," he mumbled. "Didn't you tell me, you were a prankster in your youth? Were you showing me again there is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor – and unpretentiousness. You may rest assured, I will be on my guard with the countess!"

And while their father seemed to be lost in memories, the three sons happily set the little angel on the top and raised the Christmas tree again, and it seemed as if they had a helping hand, so easy was it this time.

_Thanks to Sklamb and Sandspur for their beta._


End file.
